Mechanical apparatus



2, 1966 E. BARTH ETAL 3,264,600

I MECHANICAL APPARATUS Filed Sept. 19, 1963 INVENTORS. ROBERT B. SEIDEL BY L. ELLSWORTH BARTH A TTORNE Y United States Patent 3,264,600 MECHANIQAL APPARATUS Lewis Ellsworth Barth, Langhorne, and Robert B. Seidel, Radnor, Pa., assignors to Automatic Timing & Controls, Inc., King of Prussia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 310,173 Claims. (Cl. 339-31) This invention relates to electrical terminals and in particular to a dual purpose terminal.

While there have been many different types of terminals used in electrical assemblies including solder-type, male and fem-ale plug type, push-on type, and screw type, to name a few, most known terminals are made to be used with just one type of connector. Accordingly, manufacturers of certain types of devices which are to be inserted in larger systems usually have to make their devices in several different styles to accommodate the different types of connectors used by the customer. This means that somewhat different manufacturing techniques must be used for different production runs to tailor the terminals to the customers particular needs. Conversely, if the custoiner has originally specified a particular type of terminal and later the customer desires to change the type of connector, this can only be accomplished by altering the connectors or, in some cases where it is possible, by changing the terminals. Either way, such alteration involves labor and/ or material costs.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide:

(1) A dual-purpose terminal,

(2) A terminal that can be used either for a push-on connector or for a screw-type connector,

(3) A terminal which can be used for a push-on-screw type and/ or solder connection.

Other objects of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art upon perusing the drawings, specification and claims herein.

In accordance with my invention I provide a mounting member having an aperture therein and an electrode member which includes a first portion connected to the mounting member and a second portion which has a terminal part constructed to engage a predetermined connector such as a push-on connector. The second portion is also constructed to be bendable with respect to the first portion of the electrode member and has an aperture therein which becomes aligned with the aperture in the mounting member when the second portion is bent a predetermined distance toward the mounting member. In one form of the invention the aperture in the mounting member is tapped and, therefore, if the terminal is to be used as a screwtype connector a screw is merely passed through the aperture in the bendable member and screwed into the threaded aperture in the mounting memebr. Preferably the bendable member is resilient so that when the screw is unscrewed, the bendable member tends to revert to its position before bending thereby enabling it to be used, if desired, as a push-on terminal.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a terminal mounted in a panel, a portion only of the panel being shown;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the terminal and panel taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 3 but with a clamping screw applied to the terminal.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 the construction of our novel terminal assembly will be explained in some detail. There is shown a mounting member 20 formed, for example, from an insulating plastic material such as Lexon, a polycarbonate resin made by the General Electric Company. There is a slot 21 through said member 20 "ice through which the portions 10b and of the conductive member 10 are passed. The particular shape of the aperture 21 shown in FIG. 2 or the method by which member 10 is connected to the mounting member are not part of the invention. They are depicted solely to show one possible method of securing the portions 10b and 100 to the mounting member 20. As shown, the portions 10b and 100 are not as wide as the portion 101: so that the member 100 can only be inserted up to the shoulders 15 and 16. In addition, there are shown two arcuate indentations 25 and 26 at the junction of the portions 10b and 100. These indentations are engaged by the projecting portions 22 and 23 of the walls of the slot 21.

In practice, the portion 100 is first pushed into the slot from above, the cut-off corners 31 and 32 as Well as the narrow portions 29 and 30 facilitating the insertion. As the portion 10c is pushed in even further the projections 22 and 23 begin to be forced apart as they ride up the inclined surfaces 27 and 28. When the latter projections reach the indentations 25 and 26 they snap inward and henceforth the member 10' cannot be dislodged from the member 20 without deformation of one or the other thereof. If desired a solder hole 24 may be provided to which leads may be connected. Of course, the electrode 10 can be affixed to the mounting member 20 in other ways. If the slot 21 was not equipped with the projections 22 and 23, the portion 10c, after insertion, could be twisted somewhat so as to prevent the electrode 10 from being dislodged. Any other method of afiixing the member 10 to the member 20 is likewise within the ambit of this invention.

Once the electrode member 10 has been inserted, it will be seen that the portion 10a is angled with respect to the member 20. The portion 10a includes cut-off corners 11 and 12 and may be provided with a solder hole 13, for example. In accordance with our invention, the portion 10a is also provided with a hole 14 just above the tapped hole 19 in the member 20' as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. If it is desired to use the terminal for a screw-type connection, an appropriate screw 38 may be passed through the aperture 14 and screwed into the tapped hole 19 after a lead 39 has been curled under the head of the screw as shown in FIG. 4. If, on the other hand, it is desired to us the terminal as a push-on connector type terminal, the assembly is left as in FIG. 3 and an external push-on type connector illustrated in phantom at the numeral 40 to which a lead 41 is connected is slipped over the end of the portion 10c. This external connector may be, for example, an AMP or T & B connector. As a matter of fact, if it is desired to use both a screw-type and push-on type connector, the portion 100 may be made longer and provided with another bend upward so that when the screw has been screwed in there still is an upwardly-extending end portion adapted to mate with a push-on type connector.

If desired, both the top and bottom sections of the electrode 10 may be made for dual-purpose applications. Furthermore, it is not necessary that a screw 38 be used in conjunction with the terminal assembly. In some cases, for example, it may be desired to have the aperture in the mounting member 20 to be drilled entirely through the latter and then a bolt could be passed through it or a pin or some other type of fastening means could be employed to establish the connection. Also, while the hole which becomes aligned with the hole in the terminal (when the latter is bent over) usually is in the mounting member itself it can alternatively be located in any other member close by. Still other variations of the invention as depicted may occur to those skilled in the art, said variations not departing from the essence of our invention, and hence we desire our invention to be limited solely by the claims herein.

when said second portion isbent toward said mounting member apredetermined distance, said EDWARD ALLEN? r 1mm), Examiner" alignment permitting the insertion of a threaded 30 PATRICK-A.- CLIFFORD, Examiner.

We claim: member through said aperture to engage said 1.'A terminal assembly comprising: tapped aperture.

(2.) a mounting means including first and second ad- 3. Theterminal assemblyaccording to claim 2 wherein.

jacent portions, said first portion having an aperture said mountingtmem ber is rigid, lwherein said tapped aperformed therein, 5 ture is disposed substantially perpendicular to a planar (b) a resilient electrode member which includes: portion of the, surface thereof, wherein said second por- (i)' a first portionsecured'to said second portion tion is substantially planar and said: terminal part thereof of said mounting means and is, wider than said first portion. 7

(ii) a second substantially planar portion extenda 4. The terminal assembly according to claim 3 whereing from said first portion (i)j,'said second planar 10, in said first portion of said electrode vmember is also portion having an aperture therein and being c0I1- planar and disposedwithin ,a .slotin said mounting memstructed to be slidably coupled to. a push-on type 'I her and wherein the outermost terminal ,edge of said of connector, said second planar portion being terminal parthas angled; corners to facilitate insertion; bendable with respect to said first portion (i). of said terminalspart, into said push-on type ofconnector; thereby to bring said aperturesinto alignment. 15 5. The terminal assembly according to claim 4 where- 2.. A terminal assembly comprising:- in there is another aperture in said second portion to (a) a mounting member made of an insulating material enable a solder connectionto be made thereto.

and having a tapped aperture therein, and

(b) an electrode member which includes: References C t by t eiExaminer.

(i) atirst portion connected to said mounting'rnem- 20 UNITED; STATES PATENTS ber, and 7 (ii) a second portion extending from said-first. 1,449,460 h m --339263 portion, said second portion having a terminal 1,639,161 8/1921 f 33932- part constructed to fitinto a push-on type of; 2,591,009 4/1952 Rfche 3 connector, said second portion being bendable 25 2,924,807 2/1960 Fleldj and having an aperture therein which ,is-ar 2,974,212 3/1961, fn at ranged to be aligned with saidtapped aperture 050,706 8/1962 Kltscha 339-256 

1. A TERMINAL ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: (A) A MOUNTING MEANS INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND ADJACENT PORTIONS, SAID FIRST PORTION HAVING AN APERTURE FORMED THEREIN, (B) A RESILIENT ELECTRODE MEMBER WHICH INCLUDES: (I) A FIRST PORTION SECURED TO SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID MOUNTING MEANS AND (II) A SECOND SUBSTANTIALLY PLANAR PORTION EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST PORTION (I), SAID SECOND PLANAR PORTION HAVING AN APERTURE THEREIN AND BEING CONSTRUCTED TO BE SLIDABLY COUPLED TO A PUSH-ON TYPE OF CONNECTOR, SAID SECOND PLANAR PORTION BEING BENDABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST PORTION (I) THEREBY TO BRING SAID APERTURES INTO ALIGNMENT. 